Block with multifaceted bottom surface

ABSTRACT

A block for use in constructing a retaining wall having a bottom with a non-planar portion which creates a gap between the bottom surface and the top surface of a lower course of similar blocks when the block is placed thereon. This gap assists the block in resting on the lower course of blocks in a stable, level manner by providing a space where small amounts of rubble and dirt may exist without interfering with the stacking of the blocks. The non-planar, preferably concave, portion is also advantageous in that it reduces the unit weight of the block without significantly affecting the structural integrity of the block. Preferably, the block&#39;s bottom surface further comprises a plurality of grooves which further reduce the weight of the block and provide additional clearance in the gap for larger stones. It is envisioned that these grooves be “V” shaped, thereby having angled walls which act to funnel the larger stones into an area of adequate clearance when the block is being placed on a lower course of similar blocks.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/438,385,filed May 15, 2003, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No.09/864,357, filed May 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,301, which is aContinuation of application Ser. No. 09/377,094, filed Aug. 19, 1999,now U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,850.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the construction of retaining wallsused in landscaping applications. Such walls are used to provide lateralsupport between differing ground levels where the change in oneelevation to the other occurs over a relatively short distance, therebyreducing the possibility of erosion and landslides. Retaining walls canbe both functional and decorative and range from small gardeningapplications to large-scale construction. They are constructed of avariety of materials and shapes. Some have been constructed of woodtimbers, others of rock in a natural form (such as limestone). Stillothers have been constructed of manufactured aggregate or concreteblocks. The present invention relates to a manufactured block.

Constructing a fit and true retaining wall can be an arduous endeavor.In addition to laying a level first course on ground that is usuallylocated at the foot or in the side of a steep embankment, the buildermust ensure that each subsequent course is level. An error made in alower course is usually exaggerated as higher courses are stacked aboveit. As a wall made of blocks necessarily develops somewhat of agrid-like appearance, interruptions or undulations in the lines of thewall become readily apparent to the human eye.

One particular problem the prior art has failed to overcome isdeveloping a retaining wall block shaped to avoid these undulations andinterruptions which are caused by blocks being stacked on dirt or debrisfound on the upper surface of the lower course of blocks. Dirt presentsitself as a result of the fill material used to fill the gap between therear of the wall and the earth it is being built to retain. This fillmaterial usually consists of small, coarse rocks. They serve as abarrier between the earth and the wall and prevent wet earth fromseeping through the bricks of the wall during inclement weather. Presentwall building methods include laying a course of blocks, filling thespace behind the course with fill material, packing the fill material,and carefully sweeping the dirt off each completed course prior to theaddition of the next course. This final, sweeping step is time consumingbut necessary to ensure the next course of blocks lies flat on the lowercourse.

Some larger blocks incorporate continuous cavities that extend fromtheir bottom surface to their top surfaces. These cavities are intendedto reduce the amount of material required to form the block, therebyreducing its cost and weight, and also allow an area to be filled withfill material once a course is finished. At first blush it would appearthat, because the presence of cavities reduces the surface area of thetop and bottom of the block, they would also serve to decrease the areafor interference by small stones and debris between courses. However,because the cavities are filled with fill material, the fill materialspills over the upper surfaces and exacerbates, rather than alleviates,the problem. Furthermore, smaller blocks cannot incorporate cavityportions without jeopardizing their structural integrity.

The inability of smaller blocks to accommodate cavity portions createsfurther problems. Making a solid block out of concrete results in adense rock that is heavy for its relatively small size. Working withthese rocks can become cumbersome. The absence of cavities orinterruption in the sidewalls makes these blocks difficult to lift. Theyhave few areas that lend themselves to easy gripping and lifting. Thisbecomes an important consideration in light of the number of blocks thatmust be lifted and set in place during the construction of even arelatively small retaining wall.

It would be desirable to develop a retaining wall block shaped to accepta certain amount of dirt and debris from course to course withoutadversely affecting the overall structure and aesthetics of theresulting wall. It would also be desirable to devise a small retainingwall block which is has a reduced unit weight due to the absence ofblock material in an area that will not adversely affect the strength ofthe block, nor its appearance. Finally, it would be desirable to providea small retaining wall block that is relatively easy to grasp and pickup off a stack of similar blocks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention advantageously provides a block for use inbuilding a retaining wall that produces a level course of blocks,despite the presence of a small amount of debris on the lower course ofblocks.

The present invention is also advantageous in that it provides arelatively small block with material removed from strategic locations toprovide a block that is lighter than it would have been had it beensolid, yet the removal of material has not adversely affected thestrength of the block, nor the appearance of the resulting wall.

The present invention advantageously provides a block that has areas fora person building a retaining wall to grasp the block when lifting theblock off a stack of such blocks and placing the block on a lower courseof blocks in the wall being constructed.

The instant invention relates to a retaining wall block so shaped thatwhen placed on top of a lower course of similar blocks, it lies flatdespite the inevitable presence of dirt, small stones, and other debris.This feature alleviates the time-consuming step of meticulously cleaningthe top of each course of blocks before the next course may be laid ontop of it.

The block generally comprises a continuous top surface, side surfacesextending from the top surface, front and back surfaces extending fromthe top surface and spanning laterally between the side surfaces and abottom surface integral with the front, back and side surfaces.

In order to achieve the tolerance of small stones and debris betweencourses, a portion of the bottom face of the block of the presentinvention is non-planar, more specifically, concave. This concavesurface significantly reduces the area for block-to-block contactbetween successive courses. Preferably, this non-planar portion coversmore than one-half of the area of the bottom surface of the block. Italso functions to provide an area of clearance or a gap between thestones where debris can migrate without causing interference orinstability between courses. The concave portion is preferably shaped toform a portion of a cylinder and extends from one side surface to theother. Alternatively, the concave portion could be shaped to form aportion of a sphere or any other shape.

In addition to the concave portion of the bottom surface, the presentinvention further comprises a plurality of grooves formed in the bottomsurface and preferably extending transversely of the bottom surfacebetween the front and back surfaces. The grooves preferably are angledinwardly to form an inverted “V” shape when the block is given itsintended orientation. The grooves allow spaces of increased clearancefor larger stones. The grooves preferably comprise two opposed surfacesof a predetermined width extending the length of the groove. The twosurfaces are angled to form a “V” shape and meet to form an angle α. Theangled walls of the grooves not only reduce the weight of the block, butalso act to funnel larger stones into the grooves, thereby positioningthem into an area of maximum clearance. Alternatively, the first andsecond surfaces may be joined by a third, curved or flat, surfacejuxtaposed between the first and second surfaces. Such a third surfacewould give the groove an inverted “U” shape. The grooves are cut intothe block and have a set depth that follows the irregular contour of thenon-planar bottom surface.

Preferably, the bottom surface further comprises one or more downwardprojections proximate the rear surface and having an abutting surfacewhich contacts the rear surface of a lower course of blocks when theblock is stacked thereon. It is envisioned that the abutting surface iseither parallel to the rear surface of the block, or forms an angle βwith the rear surface. These projections create an automatic and uniformsetback among successive courses of blocks so that the resultingretaining wall is angled rearwardly. This adds resistive strength to thewall against the natural forces exerted on the wall by the earth thewall is retaining.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a block of the present invention,looking up at the bottom to reveal the details of the bottom surface;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present inventiontaken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present inventiontaken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 and shown with other blocks in phantom,stacked, as in a retaining wall;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the block of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the block shown in FIG. 1 in a stackedrelationship with other blocks, as in a wall, and showing debris restingon a lower course of blocks and accommodated for by the concave area ofthe bottom surface of the block of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention, looking up at the bottom to show the detail of the bottomsurface;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of a block of the embodiment shown inFIG. 6, in stacked relation, as in a wall, with other blocks shown inphantom; and,

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a block of the embodiment shown in FIG.6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will appearmore fully from the following description, made in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views. And, although thedisclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in theart to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosedmerely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specificstructures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, thedetails may be changed without departing from the invention, which isdefined only by the claims.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a retaining wall block 10 havinga front surface 12, side surfaces 14 a and 14 b extending rearwardlyfrom front surface 12 and integral with rear surface 16. Top surface 18is generally planar and continuous across its extents. Top surface 18extends from side surface 14 a to side surface 14 b and from frontsurface 12 to rear surface 16. Preferably, top surface 18 is generallyperpendicular to side surfaces 14 a and 14 b, and also to front surface12 and rear surface 16.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the Figures, front surface 12comprises three parts, 12 a, 12 b, and 12 c. Part 12 c is generallyparallel to rear surface 16 and lies between parts 12 a and 12 b. Parts12 a and 12 b are angled such that they extend from part 12 c anddiverge rearwardly to meet side surfaces 14 a and 14 b, respectively.Parts 12 a, 12 b, and 12 c are shown as split faces as opposed to formedfaces; creating a face with a rock splitter results in an irregular,more natural appearing surface. Also shown in the Figures is a rearsurface 16, which has a smaller width than front surface 12 such thatside surface 14 a and 14 b must converge rearwardly in order to beintegral with rear surface 16. This shape allows the construction ofstraight, concave, convex, or serpentine walls without interrupting therelatively uniform appearance created by the front surfaces 12 of aplurality of blocks 10 forming a wall.

Bottom surface 20 extends from front surface 12 to rear surface 16 andfrom side surface 14 a to side surface 14 b. Bottom surface 20 includesconcave or non-planar portion 22. Concave portion 22 is depicted inFIGS. 1, 3 and 4 as a relatively cylindrical indentation in bottomsurface 20, extending from side surface 14 a to side surface 14 b.Preferably, portion 22 does not extend forward of where side surfaces 14a and 14 b meet parts 12 a and 12 b of front surface 12. This wayconcave portion 22 is not visible in a completed wall, regardless ofwhether the wall is straight, concave, convex, or serpentine.

Allowing concave portion 22 to extend from side surface 14 a to sidesurface 14 b creates a gap 24 between the bottom surface 20 and theupper surface of a lower course of blocks when block 10 is placedthereon. This gap 24 may be used for ease in picking the block up andsetting the block down. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, concaveportion 22 extends rearwardly but ends forward of downward projection34, which is described in more detail below. Ending the concave or,non-planar portion 22 forward of downward projection 34 provides anotherflat surface for block-to-block contact to assist in the leveling andstabilization of block 10 on a lower course of blocks.

Alternatively, it is envisioned that concave portion 22 be anindentation of any shape, such as the generally spherical shape of theembodiment shown in FIGS. 6-9. Preferably, portion 22 is large enough tooccupy at least 30 percent, more preferably on the order of 50 to 75percent, of the surface area of bottom surface 20.

In a preferred embodiment, bottom surface 20 also includes at least one,preferably a plurality of, grooves 28. As shown in FIG. 2, grooves 28are preferably “V”-shaped and extend from the bottom surface into theblock toward top surface 18. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and2, grooves 28 are spaced generally equidistant from each other andoriented such that they extend from front to back generally across thenon-planar portion 22. It is envisioned that grooves 28 could be locatedgenerally anywhere a cross bottom surface 20. It is preferred, however,that grooves 28 do not intersect front surface 12 so that grooves 28remain hidden from view when block 10 is part of a completed wall.

Grooves 28 having the preferred “V” shape generally comprise at least afirst surface 30 and a second surface 32. First surface 30 extends frombottom surface 20 and is integral with second surface 32. Second surface32 extends from first surface 30 to bottom surface 20 thereby forming anangle α between first surface 30 and second surface 32 as seen in FIGS.2 and 7. Angle α is preferably less than 180 degrees. Alternatively,first surface 30 and second surface 32 could be joined by a thirdsurface (not shown in the Figures) which extends along the length of thegroove and is juxtapose between the first and second surfaces. Thisthird surface could be curved, thereby forming a “U” shaped groove, orthe third surface could be flat, thereby forming a rectangular groove.However, a “V” shaped groove generally eases manufacturing.

As shown in all Figures, bottom surface 20 also includes at least onedownward projection 34. Downward projection 34 may extend across bottomsurface 20, adjacent rear surface 16 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4.Alternatively, projection 34 may be broken into more than one projection34 as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9. Projection 34 has an abutting surface36, which is used to abut against the rear surface 16 of a lower courseof blocks, thereby forming a setback between successive courses ofblocks. This setback adds strength and stability to the resulting wall.

Abutting surface 36 may be substantially parallel to rear surface 16.Alternatively, for ease of manufacture, abutting surface 36 may anglerearwardly forming a relatively small angle β with rear surface 16 asshown in FIG. 3. Angle β is preferably less than 45 degrees, morepreferably less than 30 degrees. A smaller angle β provides moreresistance to horizontal block slippage due to external forces againstthe back of the resulting wall.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changeswill readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired tolimit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed. While the preferred embodiment has been described, thedetails may be changed without departing from the invention, which isdefined by the claims.

1. A block for use in constructing a multiple course retaining wall, theblock comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; opposing sidesurfaces, with each opposing side surface extending from the top surfaceto the bottom surface; and with each opposing side surface defining aplane; a front surface extending from the top surface to the bottomsurface and extending between the opposing side surfaces, the frontsurface having an upper edge, a lower edge, and side edges, with theupper and lower edges being substantially parallel as viewed in frontelevation, and with the side edges being substantially parallel asviewed in front elevation; a back surface extending from the top surfaceto the bottom surface and extending between the opposing side surfaces;wherein the plane defined by one of the opposing side surfacesintersects the plane defined by the other opposing side surface; and,wherein the bottom surface has an upwardly recessed portion intersectingwith and extending from one of the opposing side surfaces towards theother opposing side surface, with the upwardly recessed portion creatinga gap between the bottom surface of the block and a top surface of alower course of blocks when said block is placed on the lower course ofblocks in construction of the retaining wall.
 2. The block of claim 1wherein the upwardly recessed portion accounts for greater thanone-quarter of the total surface area of the bottom surface.
 3. Theblock of claim 1, further comprising a downwardly extending projection,with the projection configured and arranged to engage a block in anadjacent lower course of blocks.
 4. The block of claim 1, wherein thefront surface comprises a plurality of generally planar parts.
 5. Theblock of claim 4, wherein one of the generally planar parts of the frontsurface is substantially parallel to the back surface of the block. 6.The block of claim 4, wherein at least two of the generally planar partsof the front surface are angled with respect to each other.
 7. The blockof claim 1, wherein the upward recessed portion defines at least onearea of contact for the bottom surface of the block when it is disposedupon the top surface of a block in a lower course of blocks;
 8. Theblock of claim 1, wherein the upward recessed portion defines at leastone area of contact for the bottom surface of the block when it ispositioned on top of a lower course of blocks in a retaining wallstructure.
 9. The block of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface furthercomprises at least one groove, with the groove configured to effectivelyincrease the height of the gap formed by the upwardly recessed portion.10. A block for use in constructing a multiple course retaining wall,the block comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; opposing sidesurfaces, with each opposing side surface extending from the top surfaceto the bottom surface; a front surface extending from the top surface tothe bottom surface and extending between the opposing side surfaces, thefront surface having an upper edge, a lower edge, and side edges, withthe upper and lower edges being substantially parallel as viewed infront elevation, and with the side edges being substantially parallel asviewed in front elevation; a back surface extending from the top surfaceto the bottom surface and extending between the opposing side surfaces;wherein the bottom surface has an upwardly recessed portion intersectingwith and extending from one opposing side surface to the other opposingside surface, the upwardly recessed portion creating a gap between thebottom surface of the block and a top surface of a lower course ofblocks when said block is placed on the lower course of blocks inconstruction of the retaining wall.
 11. The block of claim 10 whereinthe upwardly recessed portion accounts for greater than one-quarter ofthe total surface area of the bottom surface.
 12. The block of claim 10,further comprising a downwardly extending projection, with theprojection configured and arranged to engage a block in an adjacentlower course of blocks.
 13. The block of claim 10, wherein the frontsurface comprises a plurality of generally planar parts.
 14. The blockof claim 13, wherein one of the generally planar parts of the frontsurface is substantially parallel to the back surface of the block. 15.The block of claim 13, wherein at least two of the generally planarparts of the front surface are angled with respect to each other. 16.The block of claim 10, wherein the bottom surface further comprises agroove, with a portion of the groove extending along the upwardlyrecessed portion of the bottom surface, wherein the groove effectivelyincreases the height of the gap formed by the upwardly recessed portion.17. The block of claim 10, wherein the bottom surface further comprisesa groove extending from a point in proximity to the intersection of thefront and bottom surfaces to a point in proximity to the intersection ofthe rear and bottom surfaces.
 18. The block of claim 10, wherein theupward recessed portion defines peripheral areas of contact for thebottom surface of the block when it is disposed upon the top surface ofa block in a lower course of blocks.
 19. The block of claim 18, whereinthe peripheral areas of contact comprise two spaced-apart portions.